Game 2013.144: Tigers at White Sox

The Tigers still have a fairly comfortable 5.5 game lead over Cleveland, so things are hardly going badly. Although they may have the race in hand, it is hardly encouraging to watch them hobble down the home stretch (literally and figuratively), and hardly a good harbinger for the postseason.

The playoffs are mostly about pitching. Mostly; one still needs to score some runs (see World Series, 2012). As such let us hope that the Tigers haven’t reverted to their early season boom-or-bust ways. Over their last 10 games they have scored 7-7-10-0-3-1-4-16-3-2 for a remarkable 5.3 runs per game, but because of the high/low spread a much less remarkable 5-5, .500 win/loss record.

September has not been kind to Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez, and Miguel Cabrera: Here are their BA/OPS numbers for the month so far:

.207 .448 Victor Martinez

.154 .507 Miguel Cabrera

.143 .321 Torii Hunter

Yes, that is a .321 OPS, over which time Hunter has struck out in 10 of his 28 At Bats (36%) with 0 walks. Hunter currently has an 8-game strike out streak going.

This may not be the day to look for runs with Chris Sale on the mound for the White Sox, but it may be a good time to get Victor and Torii going. Career vs. Chris Sale:

.563 1.276 Victor Martinez (9-for-16)

.333 1.167 Torii Hunter (4-for-12)

About that pitching: Max takes the mound tonight after losing a pitching duel in Boston, and tries to out-duel Chris Sale for #20.

*****

Today’s Player of the Pre-game: Victor Martinez. Which split will prevail, VMart in September or VMart vs. Sale?

KC dumped the first of the three they will dump in Cleveland….they are resting up for the end of this week!!

mcb

September 9, 2013 at 9:58 pm

If we collapse the Leyland era is over. And we will be left wondering what if Tito was our manager

Coleman

September 9, 2013 at 10:02 pm

Agree–if we don’t make the playoffs in this division with this roster…time to clean house.

Jerry the Tiger Fan

September 9, 2013 at 10:45 pm

I’ve already been wondering that all season. Tito is getting the most out of CLE that anybody could reasonably hope for in 2013. Leyland continues to underachieve with the most talent in the division by a mile. Yes we lead the division, but it really shouldn’t be this close and we shouldn’t be playing this poorly this late in the season. In a weird way I wouldn’t mind a Tiger collapse if I knew it was 100% certain that Ol’ Smoky would be gone if said collapse occurred. Since I don’t know that the Tigers would have the good sense to can Ol’ Smoky if said collapse occurs, I am still rooting for us to win it all. I don’t know if his replacement would be any better, but I sure as hell am willing to find out. I’m just burned out on this guy and his bizarre lineups, his horrible third base coaches, clown show base running, and the reliance on the HR ball.

Vince in MN

September 10, 2013 at 12:33 pm

I agree 110%. No matter the result of this season’s effort, if Leyland is back next year, I won’t be.

Coleman

September 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Hunter needs a few days off.

mcb

September 9, 2013 at 10:09 pm

We all need a few days off from this team!

Mark

September 9, 2013 at 10:13 pm

Don’t worry. They are just cooling off so they can get hot later…

Kevin in Dallas

September 9, 2013 at 10:15 pm

A little early for the panic. We’ll be fine.

Kevin in Dallas

September 9, 2013 at 10:23 pm

There’s one!

Jerry the Tiger Fan

September 9, 2013 at 10:36 pm

How much longer before I can break the figurative glass to hit the figurative panic button?? I’m officially freaking out. Cleveland refuses to go away, and we refuse to play good baseball since the calendar hit September.

Very disappointed in tonight’s effort. Cabby has to be smarter than getting thrown out in the first inning of a game. That is twice now that he has been ejected early for arguing balls and strikes this season. Not a very heady move from our best player who is a 10 year veteran at the MLB level. Our starting pitching lets us down for the third straight game, this on the heels of that OAK series where the starting pitching let us down for four straight games.

I feel like we should throw the white flag up whenever Sale is on the hill. We rarely answer the challenge from him. Sorry about all these disconnected thoughts, but all of these things are swimming around in my head. I was distracted over the weekend by the Michigan/ND game and entertaining friends in from out of town for that game, but my focus is squarely on the Tigers and I don’t like what I’m seeing since September 1.

Coleman

September 9, 2013 at 10:42 pm

At least Victor showed up. Good POPG call, but even more importantly, we need Victot to be .300 hitter Victor, not first half Victor. (Now if Torii could just snap out of it).

Kevin in Dallas

September 9, 2013 at 10:51 pm

My hopes for a comeback are dwindling.

judpma

September 9, 2013 at 10:52 pm

1 thru 5
saturday 3-17
sunday 3-16
today 2- 18

the way this is going there will be plenty of rest time in October

judpma

September 9, 2013 at 10:54 pm

Leyland isn’t a career .500 manager by accident!!!

Smoking Loon

September 9, 2013 at 11:47 pm

.505 over 22 seasons is nothing to scoff at. He’s .539 with Detroit. He hasn’t managed the Yankees, Red Sox, or the Braves, either.

Not that he doesn’t exasperate me. But so will the next guy.

Coleman

September 10, 2013 at 12:04 am

Inge is available.

Vince in MN

September 10, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Of course he hasn’t managed the likes of the Astros, Marlins or Padres lately either. On the other hand, with that career .505 mark, if he was the Astros manager this year they would finish 82-80. He’s that good.

Kevin in Dallas

September 9, 2013 at 10:59 pm

Are umpires as a class unable to make a full rotation with their arm due to a general lack of athletic ability, or does the restriction stem from the protective gear?

Coleman

September 9, 2013 at 11:07 pm

You’ve pretty much put into words the question every one of us has been pondering (no, seriously, where did that come from? And I think it’s the gear).

Let Cleveland sweep KC and knock the Royals out of it. I’d rather have the Indians breathing down our neck than KC. Let Cleveland make it in as the wild card. That would be good news indeed. I like Tigers chances in a Cleveland-Detroit ALCS, should it come to that, and it certainly could.

Latest Comments

Kevin in Dallas Another starter getting shelled today. And JV looks like he may start the season on the DL.